Electrical time switch



Feb. 26, 1929.A 1,703,590

' s. w. NELDNER ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 4, 192s zi'fneets-sneer 1 ffm a. mi@

Feb 26, 1929.

s. w. NELDNER ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 4, 1926 33512* JZ@ @Home/1j,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN W. NELDNER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THERESE M. NELDNER, OF MILWAUKEE, XVISCONSIIL ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH.

Application filed February 4, 1926. Serial No. 85,917.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical time switches, and more particularly has reference to a switch of the class described adapted for use in an electrical circuit such as where it is desired to put out a .ight at a predetermined time, or otherwise control a circuit such as in cooking or the like.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. l illustrates in perspective, parts hclng broken away, a suitable form of switch mechanism upon an enlarged scale, embodying an application of my invention. li 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 illustrates the switch in convenient form with the outer shell appliedl and a suitable form of plug attachment.

d indicates a block of lihre or other suitable insulating material, and 5 an angle plate of brass or other suitable material suital'ily secured thereto, these parts forming the hase or support of the mechanism. t3 and 7 indicate suitahly stamped metal plates providing hearing for the pin or shaft 8. Referring vnew more particularly to Fig. 2, this shaft it will he observed is provided with an enlarged portion 9 adapted to carry the coiled spring l0. Said shaft also has other enlarged portions l1, l2, and 18 and projects rearwardly having a threaded end 14 provided with a knurled nut l5 and a lock-nut i8. The knurled nut .l5 is provided with a circular i'iange l? separating the concentric springs 18 and lt). lhcse are compression springs which serve to ctnrrol a .slip clutch arrangement, licrei haften' diescrihcd.

Lil indicates a ring which also has a flange 2l. separating the springs'v 8 and lf) and which has a tranverse recess for the pin which passes through the shaft 8. 28 indicates a disc hf mica between said ring 2O and anot1 er ring 24. and seid ring 24 is recessed `to receive the enlargement 13 of the shaft 8 and is also cut away as indicated at 25 to receive the tongue or lip 28 projectingT from the ratchet pinion 2i'. ino'tl er ratchet pinion substantially the same and mounted parallel therewith i.y indicated hy the reference character 28 and that pinion also has an oifset projecting in the opposite direction, said pmions both being looselv mounted upon the shaft 8.

8O and 8l indicate the legs of a knife switch which are adapted to rotate at their' lower ends upon the shaft 8, the leg 3l having the offset or projection 82 which is normally parallel with the offset or projection 29 from the pinion, the free ends of the spring l() straddle opposite sides of these offsets or projections 2f) and so that when the knife switch, looking at Fig. is moved clockwise, the olisot 32 of the knife switch rides leftuardly awav from the ollset 29 of the wheel. '33 land lil are o'llsets or lags from the legs (i and i respectively of the knife switch. pressed inwardly out of the san e to come in the path of the plunger racks hereinafter described. These plunger' racks are the upper' proiections of the plungers 85 and and are indicated h y the reference characters 87 and 38 respectively. As the plunger 85 is pushed upwardly looking at Fig. l, the pinions 27 and 28 rotate clockwise, and in doing so depress the plunger 36 against the action of the spring 88, but the oti'set or lug 40 at the top of the rack 3T heing in the path of the lip 34s, prevent-s the end of the spring l0' from throwing the knife switch rightwardly lookingat Fig. l. until after the lug 40 has risim sadicient' .thigh to clear the offset- 84. rThen the knife switch hcs rightwardly, looking at ifi l, under the infinenec of the .spring l0 the free ends of which have become distcnded or .separated and under tension. At the saine time the offset or lug il of the rack 38 which extends in the opposite direction to the offset 40 of the rack 87, passing downwardly, and leg of the knife switch having traveled rightwarly now presents its o'iiset Si?) in the path of the offset Ll-l which trying to rise under influence of the compression spring 38, and when it docs risc snliicicu" v high, it clears the oil/set 3&3 and thc hui te se itch then tiics ,lett- '\\'a.rdl.f, looking at Fic'. l. under the influence of the spri l0. 42, i8 are offsets or stops Y' rom the plate 7 to limit the throw e switch as aforesaid.

the outer end, the righthand end it Fig. 2, of the shaft 8, nounted part of .n ordinary watch movement` without dial, hands, main spring, or setting devices. The same is not shown for the reason that such mechanisms are well known in the art. The drive gear ot' the watch n'iovement indicated by the reference character 44 is pinned to the shaft 8 as shown, and when the plunger is pushed upwardly against the action of the compression spring 38 and the knife switch has moved rightwardly, looking at Fig. l, the clock movement begins to operate as soon as the nger is removed from the CII plunger 35, the vreason being as follows The compression spring 88 tending to drive the plunger 36 upwardly, also tends to rotate the sprocket gears 27, 28, and the sprocket gear 2T having the offset engaging the ring 24 tends to turn the saine, and the ringr 24 heing pressed against the disc 23 and 2O likewise tends to turn them, and the ring 2O being engaged by the pin 22 which passes through the shaft, tends torotate the shaft through the frictional surface engagement described, thereby turning the main drive gear 44 of the watch movement referred to, Vand this operation continues until the compression spring` SShas expanded suiiiciently to allow the offset 41 of the "ack o8 to move up 'clear of the offset 33 when the knife switch ffies leftwardly, looking at 1, and the watch movement stops until again-energized by another thrust r of the plunger 35.

indicates a clip suitably secured to the fibre block 4 as by the screw 46, and 47 indicates another yclip suitably secured to th fibre block 4 as by the screw 48 said clips serving as contacts for the knife switch referred to, and y49; and 50 indicate screws beneath which the terminals of the electric circuit may be secured. In mounting the mechanism within the shell 51, 52, a screw 54 may be passed through the end of the shell into the lower portion of the fibre block, and suitable side screws such as and 57 may be passed through the sides of the upper shell 51 into the fibre block 4, the two halves of the `shell being adapted to be screwed togetheras shown.

The coil springs 18 and 19 urge the disc 2() forcibly against the disc 24. rlfhese two discs, with the friction material 23 therebetween constitute a frictionV clutch. The clutch member 2O is fixed to the shaft 8 by the pin 221; while the companion clutch member 24 is loose on the shaft, but is coupled by the connection Q6 to the pinion 27. The action of the clutch in the combination as follows lVhen the plunger 35 is pushed upwardly or inwardly as above'explained, the shaft S rotated through the action of the rack bar 37 upon the pinion 27, connection Q6, loose clutch member Q4, and fixed clutch member 20. This rotary action in the shaft winds the spring of the clock-work 44 and puts the clock-work in a potential position in readiness for rotating the shaft '8 in an opposite direction through a given angular distance or number of revolutions in a predetermined time. The action of the clock-work mechanism lwhen such predetermined time has elapsed is to openthe switch niechanism'as previously explained. However, it may become necessary or desirable to open' the switch before this'time period has expired and this is permitted by theiu'se ofthe friction clutch 20, Q4. By forcibly pressing upwardly or inwardly upon the plunger 36, the 'switch may he opened without necessitating the rotation ofthe shaft 8, the shaft and its fixed clutch member 20 remaining stationary or moving only slowly with the clock-work 44 while the pinions moved by the plunger and the connected loose clutch member 24 are shifted relati'xfelyVv to the shaft and fixed clutch niember 20. The clutch may be subjected to any desired degree lof tension by means of the adjusting nut 15.

@f course it will be understood that various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without iarting from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

i.. in a time switch of the class described, a main spindle having clock mechanism at one end, a imite switch adjacent thereto, and a n at the opposite end, a

siip cliV ch nicchani compression spring in combination with said switch, and a lplunger for compressinfr the ne, transmission l etw `d co ior ion spring and sain clock inechaiii am f trie saine as said soring expands.

2. A tiiiie-switch con'iprising a shaft, a e-controiied n echanism connected to the f" switch memhe'r having lues pivoted sha` t, pinioiis free on the shaft, overe projections on the switch member anc one of the pinions, a switch-throwing spring on the shaft with its ends straddling said projections, a friction-clutch having one me bor fixed and one member loose on the shaft, a projection on the other pinioirensaid loose clutch member, plunger g the opposite sides of said AI. ,-r dri ving of the `ings on the switch member except when the racks are in the innermost positioii.

3. fr 'thine-switch comprising a movable switch element, ii'in'ions,rotatable relatively witch el.' nt, plunger i clrs for movpiuionsii' f e directions, a tiniecontroled inet-,ha coupled lo more the pinious in one direction, overlapping relativeiy morable projections ou 'the switrh element and one of said pinions, switch openand closing means positioned to he placed in a potential condition by Vthe relative movement of said projections,'and means for holding the witch element against openingor closing movement until the plunger racks have been shifted to a predetermined vinner position.

4. A time switch comprising a movable switch element, a pinionrotatable relativelv to the movement of the switch element, over/- lapping` projections ven said switch element andpinion, switch openingand closing means havincT engagement with the projections whereby'to receive energy for operating the switch element when -tl e projections) are sl'iift "reiatively, and means for shifting seid pinion backend forth and having-parts Cooperating with the switch element to prevent opening and closingl movement thereof except when said pinion shifting means is at the limit of its inner movement.

A time-switch comprising` a movable Switch element, a pinion movable relatively to the Switch element7 ineens for shifting said pinion back and forth independently of the switch element While holding the switch 10 element against movement except in one position of Said means, and a` Spring motor for shifting seid Switch element into open and closed positions and connected to be Wound into potential position by the rotation of the pinion While the switch element is held stationary. i

In testimony7 whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

STEPHEN W. NELDNER. 

